A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
